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DVDfever.co.uk – Linha De Passe DVD reviewHelen M Jerome reviews
Pathe Distribution
- Cert:
- Cat.no: P924701000
- Running time: 113 minutes
- Year: 2008
- Pressing: March 2009
- Region(s): 2, PAL
- Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
- Languages: Portuguese
- Subtitles: English
- Widescreen: 1.85:1
- 16:9-Enhanced: Yes
- Macrovision: Yes
- Disc Format: DVD 9
- Price: £19.99
- Extras: None
- Vote and comment on this DVD: View Comments
Directors:
- Walter Salles and Daniela Thomas
Producers:
- Mauricio Andrade Ramos, Walter Salles, Daniela Thomas and Rebecca Yeldham
Writers:
- Braulio Mantovani, Daniela Thomas and George Moura
Executive Producer:
- Francois Ivernel
Music:
- Gustavo Santaolalla
Cast:
- Cleuza: Sandra Corveloni
Denis: Joo Baldasserini
Dario: Vin’cius de Oliveira
Dinho: Jos Geraldo Rodrigues
Reginaldo: Kaique Jesus Santos
Expectations were high for this gritty movie, directed by Walter Salles and Daniela Thomas, of Motorcycle Diaries fame, and written by City Of God’s Braulio Mantovani. And all though the result is far more low-key than its illustrious predecessors, this is just as compelling and absorbing a story of modern South America. Naturalistic and almost documentary in style, it’s the tale of a pregnant single mother, Cleuza, and her four fatherless sons eking out an existence in the Brazilian city of Sao Paolo.
Playing Cleuza, Sandra Corveloni excelled enough to deservedly win the Cannes Best Actress award – and she is matched by the debut performances of many of her young co-stars, as the entire family struggles to stay afloat and quite literally keep the faith.
Particularly touching is the youngest boy, Reginaldo, played by Kaique Jesus Santos, as he travels endlessly on local bus, convinced that the driver must be his father. As for his budding athlete brother Dario (Vin’cius de Oliveira, previously so memorable in Salles’ wonderful movie, Central Station), he somehow manages to achieve the impossible in making his many football-playing scenes believable and inspirational, so the viewer is actually rooting for him to succeed. The other brothers, Denis and Dinho try to be honest and do the right thing, as gas station attendant and motorcycle courier, but they are gradually and inevitably drawn into the spiralling cynicism and crime in the pitiless city.
Perhaps we can learn more from the hardship and hard luck stories contained in this unshowy, but beautifully filmed drama about real people, and imagined and created by those who know their country, than the endless movies about American and European travellers ‘finding themselves’ on their exotic travels.
But don’t think it’s all doom and gloom and worthiness in Linha De Passe, for there is humour sparkling through the entire film, and the end result is an impressive and enjoyable addition to the latest wave of South American cinema.
No extras to speak of. Vanilla topping, if you will.
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Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.